Banned Russian LGBTQ Play A LITTLE HERO Makes World Premiere in London

Fourteen year old Vovochka idolises president Putin and seeks to put the world to rights after learning about homosexuality in school. He terrorises his neighbourhood and pledges to do his work in the name of his great leader. A Little Hero presents the difficult reality of being gay in Putin's Russia with a literal interpretation of this sentiment - a surreal crematorium disguised as an experimental "treatment" device.

A Little Hero was written by Valeriy Pecheykin, a talented young, gay Russian playwright, in January 2014 and published in Russian in the alternative literary magazine, Mitin Journal. Because of a 2013 law banning distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors, the magazine must be sold in a black plastic cover with a note announcing that it contains information unsuitable for persons under 18. For the same reason, the play stands no chance of being staged in Russia in the foreseeable future.

An adaptation of A Little Hero, entitled 'Crematorium' was performed in New York in 2014.

Valeriy Pecheykin lives in Moscow and is a member of the Gogol Centre.

Charlotte Evans is an emerging director who has directed work at the Salisbury Playhouse (Twenty Something), North Wall Oxford and the Bike Shed Exeter. After an inspiring lecture at university, she contacted Valeriy with the aim of staging A Little Hero in the UK. After two years and a rehearsed reading, it is finally being presented at the White Bear.

Movement Director: Phao May

Cast: Simon Stallard (Offie nominee for Kes at the Brockley Jack), Shona Graham, Max Baker, Tris Hobson, Jamie Foulkes, Eden Hastings, Max Baker

WHITE BEAR THEATRE
138 Kennington Park Rd, SE11 4DJ

Tickets £16 (£12 concessions)
Box Office whitebeartheatre.co.uk 0333 012 4963